“I’m sorry, girl. I don’t know what to say. Do you want me to go to North Carolina and cut his dick off for you?”
The table erupted in laughter.
"No, that won't be necessary," I chuckled. "But I'd love that drink."
"I can do that." She slid her chair backwards from the table and stood, planting a kiss on the top of Sasha's head. As she started towards the bar, she and Sasha did that sickeningly sweet couples thing where they're holding hands, and they let their fingertips slide through the other's palms, holding on until the last possible second. My ex and I used to do that. I tried to remember the last time we'd held hands. It must have been years.
She returned to the table with a tray of drinks, including five shots, a saltshaker, and rocks glass filled with lime wedges.
My diet and prescriptions strictly forbade alcohol, and the last time I got drunk, I'd had a one-night stand. I pushed those thoughts out of my head, determined not to be sensible for a change and let go, besides, I was only having one tequila shot, a vodka soda, and lots of water. How drunk could I get?
Apparently very drunkwas the answer to that question. I thought I was doing myself a favor by nursing my one drink while everyone else at the table downed more shots and moved on to beers, but my alcohol tolerance was nonexistent. I was tired but wide awake. I felt lightheaded and giddy but also sad. Sasha and Micaela were making out across the table, and I was happy to see two people I cared about so happy, but I also wanted to burst into tears. I tried to stand, but my limbs felt heavy, so I sat again.
Nisha grabbed the check and began calculating everyone's share. No one would let me chip in. Moments later, we stumbled onto the sidewalk laughing and hugging. Nisha kissed both my cheeks before heading to Brooklyn to meet other friends.
“Do you need help getting home?” Sasha asked. She had her arms around Micaela’s waist.
“Nope. I’m fine.” I stumbled again. Max caught me before I hit the pavement.
"I'm going uptown. I'll make sure Lisa gets home safe." He laughed.
"Hey, Max!" Micaela yelled as they walked toward the downtown train. "If anything happens to my friend—"
"You'll cut my dick off?" he shouted down the sidewalk, and I belly laughed.
"I. Will. Cut. Your. Dick. Off," she screamed, and Sasha started laughing too.
Max hailed a taxi, pushed me inside, and the last thing I remembered is giving him my address before drifting off to sleep on his shoulder.
cole
eleven
CJ had beenasleep for a few hours, and I should've gone to bed, but instead, I opened one of the file boxes that Judy had messengered over, pulled out a folder, and started reading. Or at least I tried to read. I kept daydreaming about Lisa sitting on the couch next to me. I was lost in the memory of her laugh, and the smell of her shampoo in a puff of perfumed air every time she tossed it over her shoulder. I'd lost track of how many times I'd read the same paragraph when I heard a car door slam outside my window, followed by a man's voice and Lisa's laugh.
The pile of papers I'd already forgotten fell to the floor when I sprang up and ran to the window. A tall, white guy was walking towards Kimberly's brownstone, supporting a much smaller figure with long hair that seemed to be stumbling. I don't remember opening the door or running down the stairs. Still, in what felt like a second later, I was almost chest to chest with the man who was half dragging Lisa to her apartment.
“Hey,” I shouted. “What’s going on here?”
“Who the fuck are you?” The dude straightened and made an effort to push Lisa behind him. I had a couple of inches on him, but he seemed more focused on protecting Lisa than worrying about me kicking his ass. He should have been more concerned about the latter.
"Who the fuck am I? Who the fuck are you?" My chest was tight, and so were my fists.
Lisa straightened up and tried to look at me. Her hair obscured her face, and she swiped at it in a drunken attempt to push it away. "Hi, neighbor!" she chirped, before looking at the guy who was supporting her weight. "He's my neighbor."
"I can take care of her." I stepped forward to grab Lisa, and he put his arm out to stop me.
"Mmm, I don't think so. I don't know you. I was told to make sure Lisa got into her apartment safely. I'm not just gonna hand her to some random dude because he says he's her neighbor."
"She said I was her neighbor, and my sister is her landlord."
He wasn’t convinced.
“Ask her. I would never do anything to hurt her. I’ll make sure she’s safe.”
“Lisa,” he said, still glaring at me suspiciously. “Lisa?” he repeated. She looked up at him. “Do you know this guy? Do you want to go with him?”
“I’m Lisa,” she said before she started belly laughing again. He rolled his eyes.
